“Small Great Things” by Jodi Picoult

I was on the beach this summer in North Carolina when I saw this book sitting on a lounge chair. It belonged to Annie, the girlfriend of our nephew Tyler. I was like a kitten smitten with something shiny and new. “What is that book?” I said. “And who is Jodi Picoult? Why do I not know the book or the author?” My sister-in-law Jen joined the conversation, and she and Annie both said how much they liked Picoult’s writing and had read many of her books. That was enough to send me chasing after this book, and now that I have read it, I can say it blew me away. “Small Great Things,” is the story of a Connecticut-based, African American labor and delivery nurse name Ruth who finds herself caring for the baby of a white supremacist couple. Because of the color of her skin, the couple demands that this nurse (with 20 years of experience) not care for their newborn son. After being banned from the child, Ruth is ultimately part of the team that tries to save the infant before he unfortunately dies. Then all hell breaks loose. I don’t want to give away the plot twists of the book because it is better to experience it first hand. But I will say that this author examines the subjects of race, bigotry and privilege with such grace that you come away with sympathy for everyone involved, rather than rage. It turns out Picoult is not only a skilled writer but quite prolific. She has written more than a dozen books, and I look forward to reading another one soon. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.